


A Shot in the Dark

by that_one_kid



Series: Lack of Adult Supervision (Camp Counselor AU) [4]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Archery, Gen, Summer Camp, accidental injury, elf-dwarf tensions, gimli & legolas are still frenemies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-24 08:26:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20355418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/that_one_kid/pseuds/that_one_kid
Summary: When Pippin and Merry get a bright idea (for 10-year-olds), no one expects it to go well. Sam's addition to the chaos, though, is a surprise to everyone. Especially Legolas.





	A Shot in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Legolaaaaaas! Hyped for the camp counselor stories, for they are my overworked children. Don't worry, a plot will form at some point. 
> 
> See end note for trigger warnings.

“Three weeks in, and already I want to sleep for several days,” Gimli grumbled. “That can’t be natural.” 

“Nah, seems right,” Boromir said, slumped on the lumpy break room couch with an arm over his eyes. “I have only two students that show any skill at fencing, and the others seem determined to lose either their eyes or their friendships as fast as possible.” They both turned to Aragorn, who was sitting in the darker back corner and drinking tea solemnly from a tin cup. 

“This is a tiring job,” he agreed with a half-smile. “Just be glad none of your kids have thrown up on you yet.” Then the door to the break room opened, and a blur of green and blonde slipped past Boromir and Gimli. It was Legolas, leading Pippin and Mary by their wrists. In his wake was Sam, apologizing profusely. Blood stained the sleeves of both of the younger boys, and Legolas was bleeding from a gash on his shoulder. 

“I am so sorry, Mr. Legolas, sir, I should have been practicing my draw more and kept my bow facing the range and I didn’t realize-” Sam babbled, rushing along behind the tall counselor. 

“Aragorn,” Legolas interrupted Sam tiredly, lifting Pippin and then Merry onto the tall stools at the kitchen island. “First aid kit?” Aragorn was already on his feet, lifting the kit down from its customary rack and flipping it open. Boromir and Gimli had half-risen to their feet, but Aragorn waved them back down.

“Are you all right?” Aragorn asked, even as he took out the bandages and antiseptic cream. 

“I’ll be fine. Let’s clean up the boys first,” Legolas answered. He rolled up Pippin’s over-long sleeve to reveal a small gash on his palm, with blood smeared around it, and reached for Merry’s sleeve. Pippin was looking around with a smile while Merry was sitting calmly but fighting to keep a straight face.

“Again, I’m so sorry, I didn’t know-” Sam continued in the mostly-ignored background. 

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” Aragorn asked Pippin, who shook his head quickly. Legolas set about rolling up Merry’s sleeve while Aragorn quickly disinfected Pippin’s cut and put a Band-Aid over it. The cut on Merry’s hand was identical. 

“They didn’t,” Gimli whispered, and utterly failed to hold back a chuckle. “In front of the  _ elf _ ?” Aragorn shot him a dark look, and he excused himself from the break room. The sound of his chuckles still reached the others as he left hurriedly. 

“Boys,” Aragorn said sternly, as he put a Band-Aid over Merry’s cut. “Go with Boromir. I think it’s time you had a discussion about the proper handling of blades with a professional.” 

“I thought I’d taught you better than this,” Boromir said, casting a stern look down at them. “I’m disappointed in you both. Let’s go.” The mirth in both the boys’ faces drained away, and they trundled out after him.

“Legolas?” Aragorn asked, gathering up the first aid materials. The archer had shrugged out of his vest but was looking at Sam, his expression an odd mix of fondness and faint betrayal. 

“Sam, bud, I think you better clear out of here while I help Legolas get patched up.” Aragorn said, and Sam nodded hastily. 

“Of course, Mr. Aragorn, I’ll just…” he trailed off, clearly still looking at the cut on his instructor’s shoulder. 

“The rest of the class has put their equipment away and headed in for lunch,” Legolas prompted softly. “Why don’t you go join them?” Sam nodded furiously, blinking back tears, and practically ran out the door. Once the door shut behind him, Legolas shrugged out of his shirt and tugged it away from the cut with a soft hiss. 

“How bad?” Aragorn asked, grabbing a dish towel and wiping the blood away. It welled up again, but he sighed with relief. “Doesn’t look too deep. You won’t need stitches.” 

“Good,” Legolas said, with obvious feeling. “Sam might cry if I went to the hospital.” 

“What the hell happened?” Aragorn asked, smearing antiseptic cream on the gash. Legolas was still and quiet for a second, and then muttered something under his breath. “What’s that?” 

“Never rains, but it pours,” Legolas said, twisting to look at Aragorn with a wry smile. Aragorn, holding a gauze pad with two fingers, quickly wrapped the area with a bandage and tapped Legolas on his uninjured shoulder. “That’s the truth. All patched up.” 

“Need a shirt?” Gimli called, sticking his head in from the doorway. He still sounded a little gleeful, but he tossed Legolas a long-sleeved shirt almost identical to the one he’d been wearing before. Legolas caught it gracefully, and Gimli shut the door again. He pulled the shirt on as he talked. 

“I caught Pippin and Merry cutting their hands open with the arrowheads for some kind of ritual,” he said, voice muffled through the fabric. Aragorn smiled. 

“Ah, the old blood pact,” he said. I remember that from when I was young.” Legolas stuck his head out through his shirt and gave Aragorn an appalled look before continuing. 

“Of course, I called to them to stop immediately, and as I ran over, Sam swung around to see what was happening.” Aragorn’s eyes widened slightly. “He forgot,” here Legolas grimaced, “that he still had an arrow nocked. He let go in surprise when he realized.”

“He shot you in the back? No wonder the poor kid’s so broken up,” Aragorn said. 

“I’m lucky he’s not a better shot,” Legolas said lightly, his usual cheer seemingly restored with the return of undamaged clothing. “He barely nicked my arm. But I had to shut down the class and send my kids to lunch early.” 

“Reasonable,” Aragorn said. “I’m sure Gandalf with understand.” Legolas hummed neutrally and held his hands out, palms up - his version of a shrug. 

“Seemed better than leaving unsupervised children wandering around with weapons,” he agreed. 

“You good to head back out for now? We can figure out schedules and take another look at your cut this evening.” Legolas nodded, getting to his feet and grabbing his blood-stained shirt off the ground. He tossed it in the trash and paused to wash his hands as they headed out to the cafeteria.

“Legolas literally got shot today,” Boromir said to Aragorn in an aside as they walked in. “And yet he is still tidier than either of us.” 

“He’s an enigma,” Aragorn agreed, and headed for the pizza. 

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warnings for: Mild injuries, mild injuries to children


End file.
